By: Saifullah Baloach
The by-election held at Daska in Sialkot constituency of the National Assembly with an interval of about a month and a half yesterday was of paramount importance due to which the eyes of the entire nation were fixed on it. Unlike the by-elections on February 19, Saturday’s election was free of complaints of bias, rigging and irregularities. Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that the victory of PML-N candidate Syeda Noshin Iftikhar over PTI representative Ali Asjad Malhi in this election campaign will have a far-reaching impact on the political situation in the country. The seat, which fell vacant due to the death of PML-N leader Syed Iftikhar-ul-Hassan Shah, has traditionally belonged to the PML-N, but PTI candidate Asjad Malhi won the seat in the last general election. (PTI) had won the second position by fielding a strong candidate, due to which many political analysts were considering the chances of success of his candidate in the PTI government to be very bright. The provincial and federal governments also apparently made the contest a test case. In the by-elections held in February, it was revealed that the Prime Minister has directed victory in this contest. And then there was the intense tension that morning, even with firearms and the loss of precious human lives, which made the election process controversial from the outset. The mysterious disappearance of the presiding officers of 20 polling stations and the failure to provide any valid justification for their disappearance when the Election Commission arrived hours later had tarnished the image of the electoral process. Therefore, the Election Commission withheld the results of these polling stations for investigation while the PML-N demanded re-election in the entire constituency. Despite all this, the PTI initially demanded the announcement of the results, calling the election process credible, but when the Election Commission, after an investigation, decided to annul the election altogether, the government candidate Has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court seeking re-election only in those polling stations where the presiding officer has gone missing. However, the Supreme Court upheld the ECP’s decision after several hearings. Thus, the by-elections were re-held yesterday with full arrangements for maintaining discipline and strict adherence to the rules and regulations. According to unofficial results, Syeda Noshin Iftikhar of PML-N defeated Ali Asjad Malhi of PTI. He won with 111,220 votes against 92,019 votes. The Election Commission played its role as an independent by not accepting any undue pressure in the conduct of the election process, making it a significant milestone in the electoral history of the country in terms of keeping the electoral process free from doubts. Has been obtained. The Supreme Court has set a shining example by upholding the decision of the Election Commission and protecting the independence of institutions, which has brightened the prospects of constitutional supremacy in the country. Transparent electoral process is the foundation of democracy. Time has proved that if institutions work with determination, they cannot be forced to fulfill anyone’s illegitimate desires. This happy aspect of this important election campaign will, God willing, pave the way for a secure future of the country and true democracy.